Alicia's Letters
by Astralis
Summary: Alicia Spinnet gets her Hogwarts letter, meets some crazy redheaded twins on the train and makes a new friend in her dorm. Just because there aren't enough Alicia stories out there!


Miriam Spinnet bent down slowly and scooped the letters up off the floor. Two bills which had come the normal way, addressed to herself and Tiberius. A letter for Tiberius which had been dropped there by his owl. And the letter Miriam had half-dreaded since the day her daughter, aged five, had made a chair bounce.  
"Miriam? Any mail for me?" Tiberius was walking towards her, already dressed in his robes. She didn't speak as she handed him his letter, and the other letter in its' thick, cream envelope. He glanced at it and broke into a grin. "She got in! Oh, I knew she would. Alicia! Come here, darling!"  
"What is it?" Alicia, still in her pajamas, came into the hallway, her cat clutched in her arms. She dropped her unceremoniously when she spotted the envelope in her father's hand. "Is that my letter?"  
Alicia Spinnet  
The Pink Bedroom  
17 Canterbury Terrace  
  
London  
  
It was indeed her letter. The letter that was to take Miriam Spinnet's only child away from her, into a world in which she could never share. She stared at Alicia's face, trying to memorise every inch of it, as her daughter ripped the envelope open.  
"'Dear Miss Spinnet,'" Alicia read. "'We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" She didn't bother to read the rest of the letter, preferring instead to leap up and down and hug her parents. "I'm going to Hogwarts!"  
Miriam tried to return Alicia's hug with as much enthusiasm as possible. She knew Alicia belonged at Hogwarts, with people like her, in a world which was designed for people with her talents. A world in which her own mother would never be a true participant.  
  
"Are you all ready, Alicia? Got everything?"  
She did. She had her robes, her cauldron, her spellbooks, and her very own wand. Mr Ollivander had told them it was holly, ten inches long, with a core of unicorn hair. Everything was packed in the trunk Dad had bought her in Diagon Alley, except for her cat, Pepper, who was winding in and out of her legs, meowing. It was September the first! Alicia had hardly slept the night before; she'd kept getting out of bed to check her trunk, to glance through her spellbooks or to gaze at her wand.  
"Let's go then, chicken. I'll take your trunk if you carry Pepper."  
The cat safely in her cage, Alicia watched her mother lock the front door. She was going to miss her house and her pink bedroom, and her parents. But this was what she'd always wanted. Hogwarts was going to be so much fun!  
It took them half an hour to drive to King's Cross station. Alicia noticed a few other people going in with trunks, owls and cats, and smiled to herself. Soon she'd know those people.  
"Now," said Dad, stopping the trolley with her trunk on it and looking around. "Which platform are we going to? Anyone know?"  
"Dad!" Alicia groaned. "Platform nine and three quarters! Just like it was when you went to Hogwarts!"  
"Of course! Silly me! How could I have forgotten?"  
Mum sighed. "Come on, Tiberius. Hurry up."  
Alicia walked along beside her mother. She knew Mum was sad about her going off to Hogwarts. Mum wasn't magic like she and Dad were; she was what was called a 'Muggle'. Dad had once said that it was hard for Mum, because Dad and Alicia were part of a world she'd never really belong to. That was why Mum always looked a bit sad when they had Christmas with the Spinnets and everyone was doing magic.  
"Here we are! I'll take the trolley through the barrier; Alicia, you go through first with your mother, just hold her hand. Walk straight through and don't stop, either of you."  
Alicia almost ran through the 'solid' barrier that separated the Muggle world from platform 9 3/4, but she knew Mum wouldn't want to run. Clutching each other's hands, they stepped into blackness, and then emerged onto a crowded platform. "Oh, Mum," Alicia whispered. There was a bright red steam engine, puffing smoke, and a sign that said Hogwarts Express. There were kids everywhere, and trunks, and owls, and cats. It was really happening - she was really going to get on that train and go to Hogwarts!  
Dad appeared behind them with the trolley and they made their way down the platform. They found an empty compartment on the train and got Alicia's trunk and Pepper's cage inside, then stood, awkwardly, on the platform. "Train leaves in three minutes," said Dad.  
Mum was trying not to cry. Alicia felt a bit guilty, because she was magic and Mum wasn't, and because she so wanted to go to Hogwarts, but she was leaving her parents behind to do it.  
"Now, send us an owl tomorrow. Let us know how the train trip goes, and your Sorting, and everything, all right?" Dad looked proud.  
"And you want me to be in Ravenclaw like you were, right, Dad?" Alicia grinned.  
"Any house is fine by me. The Hat will put you where you'll be best, and happiest, so wherever you are will make your mother and I happy."  
"I'll miss you both. And Pepper will too. I'll write tomorrow, I promise. Oh, I'm so excited!"  
"You'd better hurry up and get on that train, Alicia Spinnet," said Mum firmly, reaching out for a hug. "Goodbye, darling. Take care. I love you."  
"I love you too." Alicia hugged both her parents goodbye.  
"Go on, chicken. Have a great term and we'll see you at Christmas."  
Alicia had never felt so grown up as she did climbing the steps into the train by herself. She was grown up now, she was going all the way up to Scotland to boarding school!  
There were three boys already in the compartment where her trunk was. Leaning out of the window to wave goodbye to Mum and Dad once more, Alicia sat down in an empty seat.  
The three boys all had red hair, and two were identical twins. Alicia looked at them curiously. She'd always wanted a twin. They looked like fun; maybe they were her age.  
The guard's whistle blew a final time. The length of the train, doors slammed shut. There was a chorus of 'good- byes', 'I love yous' and 'be goods' from the platform and all sorts of shouts coming from the train.  
The bright red train slowly began to move. It got faster and faster, leaving the station and the parents behind them.  
"I'm Percy Weasley," said the oldest red-haired boy firmly. Alicia looked at him. She'd been looking out the window, savouring her last glimpse of her parents.  
"Oh," she said. "Hello."  
"I'm Fred and that's George," said one of the twins.  
"No, I'm George and he's Fred."  
Alicia thought about it. Fred on the right, George on the left. As soon as they moved she knew she'd get them mixed up.  
"Don't mind them too much," said Percy. "They like confusing people. They're first years and I'm a third year. What's your name?"  
"Alicia Spinnet."  
"First year?"  
"Yes."  
"You'll be in some classes with the twins then. But don't worry, they don't bite or anything."  
"Only on a full moon," said the one called Fred, grinning.  
"And when we're hungry," said George.  
"But don't worry, we don't bite hard."  
"Yeah, there might be some tooth marks, or a bit of blood - "  
"But nothing too major."  
"Fred's got rabies though, you want to watch out for him - "  
"Fred! George!" Percy sounded scandalised. "Can't you two ever behave yourselves?"  
"Sorry, Mum."  
Alicia grinned. She thought she was going to like these two, rabies or not.  
  
Hogwarts Castle was better than she'd ever dreamed it would be. Alicia was in a boat, on the lake, with the Weasley twins and another girl. A man who was taller than anyone she'd ever seen, who was the groundskeeper, Hagrid, had ushered all the first years into the boats and taken them across the lake. All of Dad's stories about Hagrid and the boats and the castle hadn't prepared her for the huge building standing above them, with turrets and towers and lights gleaming from the windows. Even the twins were speechless as the boats carried them through a hole in the cliff and into a kind of harbour far beneath the school. Two by two, they climbed up a flight of stairs and came out in front of the castle, then followed Hagrid up the wide stone steps to the front door where he knocked three times.  
A tall woman in green robes opened the doors. "I'll take them now, thank you, Hagrid." Hagrid nodded and left as the woman beckoned them all inside. She led them into a small room, where she turned to survey them.  
"Welcome to Hogwarts."  
Alicia listened intently as the witch - Professor McGonagall - explained about the Houses and the Sorting. Her father had told her hundreds of time about it all, but it seemed so much more real now that she was actually here - like a fairy tale come to life.  
They walked into the Great Hall in a line behind Professor McGonagall. The roof, high over their heads, was dark, dark blue, like the night sky, with silver stars twinkling and gleaming. Dad had told her all about the enchanted roof, but Alicia had never expected it to look so real. Everything at Hogwarts was so much more than it was in Dad's stories.  
  
We have four houses here  
  
At ancient Hogwarts School In one of these, it's clear Each one of you belongs. For those of you who strive each day To achieve each goal you've set In Slytherin you'll find the way To others like yourself. Some of you students standing there In Hufflepuff belong Those of you who are true and fair And steadfast till the end. Those with cleverness and wit Are Ravenclaws at heart With an open mind you'll truly fit In with these wise young folk. And finally those with purest nerve And boldness and great courage Will find that Gryffindor will serve To make them right at home. So sit yourself upon the stool, And put me on your head I'll show you where in this fine school You and your heart belong.  
  
Alicia had jumped when the Hat began to sing. No matter how many times her father had told her about it, she'd never quite believed in a singing Hat with enough brains to write a song itself. The twins were grinning. One caught Alicia's eye and she smiled too.  
"Abbott, Elizabeth!"  
The blonde girl who'd been with Alicia and the twins in the boat moved forward, looking slightly scared, and sat down on the stool. Professor McGonagall put the hat onto her head.  
"Hufflepuff!" it shouted.  
There were so many people. Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, Gryffindors, Slytherins. Each time a new student joined their house the table would cheer, making the Sorting a very noisy proceeding.  
"Spinnet, Alicia!"  
Alicia sat down on the stool, trying not to look at the twins who were winking and grinning, much to Professor McGonagall's displeasure. "Hmmm," said the hat, as clearly as if it was a real person. "Where shall I put you? Hufflepuff? Ravenclaw? I think not... you've got a bold heart, my dear, and there's only one place for you. GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Dear Mum and Dad  
  
Here I am! Hogwarts! I still can't really believe it. I'm in Gryffindor. The common room's really nice, there's lots of squashy armchairs and couches. It's a long walk from the Great Hall, right up in a tower, and we have to give the password to a portrait called the Fat Lady before we can get into the common room. The train ride was good, it might have gotten boring in the end except I was in a compartment with twin boys who were lots of fun. Their names are Fred and George Weasley and they're in Gryffindor too. They said they've got three older brothers who were all in Gryffindor, one's still here. The other two were Head Boy and Quidditch captain. Their Dad works at the Ministry in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office, I don't know if you've met him at work? His name's Arthur Weasley. There are four other girls in my dormitory. I get on really well with one of them, Angelina Johnson. Everyone was kind of shy at first, but Angelina got everyone talking and introducing themselves. Angelina's crazy about Quidditch, she says she's trying out for Chaser next year because there'll be a spot on the Gryffindor team, and she wants to play for the Holyhead Harpies when she leaves school. She threw a pillow at my head when I said I supported Puddlemere United, but apart from that we get on fine. The other three girls aren't really into Quidditch - Angelina and I were talking about it for ages, we can't wait till flying lessons start - but they're still nice. Their names are Charlotte Wright, Tina Thompson and Maggie O'Neill. Tina's Muggle-born and she's so excited about everything, even more than I am. There are four boys in our year as well, the twins, a boy called Lee Jordan who's already causing trouble with them (good trouble!) and a boy called Matthew Findlay. Today we had Defence Against the Dark Arts with Professor Jones, Charms with Professor Flitwick, Potions with Professor Snape who was scary and MEAN and Herbology with Professor Sprout. I liked Charms best, Professor Flitwick is so tiny he has to stand on a pile of books to see the class! At the moment I'm sitting in the common room with Angelina, she's writing to her parents too. We're going to take our letters up to the Owlery, if we can find it, and then go to dinner, if we can find the Great Hall! Fred and George's brother Percy has warned us not to ask Peeves the poltergeist for directions if we get lost, because he'd find it great fun to get us even more lost and make us get stuck in the trick steps. He says the other ghosts are safe enough though. Well, I have to go now, I'm hungry! Pepper says hi, she's settling in well. I hope you're both fine. I miss you both, Love you lots  
  
Alicia  
  
Alicia folded the letter and sealed it, and put her quill and ink back into her bag. Standing up, she glanced at Angelina.  
"Shall we go?"  
Prepared to be lost together, the two girls stepped out through the portrait hole. As the Fat Lady swung back into place behind them they set out in what they hoped was the general direction of the Owlery.  
I've got a whole seven years here! Alicia smiled to herself, and then at her new friend. They had a whole new world in front of them - this castle was just the first step. 


End file.
